The Scum Of Gotham: 6 ‘Dark Knight’ Villains

We are all intrigued by the complex character of our beloved dark knight, but we often overlook the various contributions to Batman’s world from the psyche of his counterparts. The villains of Gotham are intriguing, horrifying and complex enemies who all possess characteristics that expose the core on the dark knight himself. They are too ugly, inside and out, to tear your eyes away from them onscreen, and though they have been portrayed by many different actors, each of the following six villains remain haunting, insightful and the true forces behind Batman’s intrigue.

The Joker - Whether it is Jack Nicholson’s in the 1980’s or Heath Ledger this century, the Joker has been and always should be Batman’s greatest and deadliest foil. Ledger’s Joker says it best in “The Dark Knight:” “What happens when and unstoppable force meets an immovable object?” Movie magic, apparently.

Two-face - Aaron Eckhart does a fantastic job portraying Two-Face’s dual nature. As Harvey Dent, he is an ambitious crusader for good. As two-face, he is cold and inflexible. On top of that, he literally has two-faces! Once you get two faces, you must forever ride towards villainy. Forget your previous career in law.

Scarecrow – Coming in at number three is the Scarecrow. Though Dr. Crane and his fear gas played a huge role in Christopher Nolan’s “Batman Begins,” by the time “Dark Knight” rolls around, Scarecrow is just another crime boss roaming the Gotham streets. The mighty Scarecrow has fallen down a couple of notches in Batman’s priority, but certainly not in overall villainous attributes.

Salvatore Maroni - Played by Eric Roberts, Salvatore Maronie is one of Gotham City’s biggest crime bosses. It is hard not to wonder if Christopher Nolan saw Robert’s portrayal of a creepy guy in “The Killers'” music video for “Mr. Brightside” and thought, “Damn. Eric Roberts makes a great creepy guy. Get me his agent.” All-in-all, Maroni plays a small part in the film’s actual narrative. The Riddler he is not, but that does not stop Salvatore from being a Gotham City cancer, ruthless and corrupt.

Happy/Dopey - Joker henchmen Happy and Dopey tie for the fifth spot on the list. They do little, but they are hobnobbing with the big boys. The Joker’s complexity even makes his henchmen extraordinarily evil.

Gambol - Action Star MIchael Jai White plays tough guys well, and his talent is on display with his portrayal of Gotham City crime lord, Gambol. Unfortunately for White, all of Gambol’s tough guy scenes must have taken place before the actual start of movie. He is quickly introduced and killed immediately, proving to be nothing more than Joker fodder in a long line of dead bodies.